Waterbury evening Democrat., 1887-12-23
THEY WANT TO COME IN <!
FOUR TERRITORIES cLAMoRING FOR
 STATEHOOD.

A Probability That Congress Will In-
 crease the Stars on the National Banner
 to Forty-Two by tho Admission of Mon-
 tana, Washington, Dakota and Utah.
 WASHINGTON, Dec 23.-Before the pres ent congress adjourns it is probable that the sisterhood of the states will be increased from thirty eight to forty-two by the admission of Montana, W ashington, Dakota and Utah. The delegates from each of these territories have bills ready to present in the house ad- mitting them to the rank of states, and Mir. Spr nger of Illinois, says that if he is chair man of the committee on territories, as every one expects he will be, he will report the bills back in January and try to have them passed so that the preliminary elections in the states can take place in May or June.
 His plan is to have constitutional con- vention chosen in June, meeting in July, submitting it's work in September and elect ing state officers in November. These off, cers, however, will not enter upon the per- formance of their functions until the con- stitution adopted at the polls has received the scrutiny and the formal approval of con- gress.
 In the case of Montana and Washington enabling acts will doubtless be passed in ac- cordance with MT. Springer's programme,
 
 somewhat more complicated. The people have recently voted in favor of division, and south Dakotans have already formed pro- visional government and elected two s,na- tors, one of whom is here. They argue that the territory is too large territorially to con- tinue as one state, being 400 miles square and larger than any other state in the Union ex- cept Texas and California. Such Q state, they say, would be deprived practically of the advantages of local self-government. The population is more than adequate for two states, being 400, 900 for south and POO, GOO for north Dakota. Senator Manderson has already offered bill in the senate to admit south Dakota at once with her provis- ional state government, and he proposes to offer an enabling act for north Dakota. These bills will probably pass the senate and clash with MT. Springer's in the house. The senate passed the bill admitting south Dakota in the last congress.
 The committee on territories will also have before it the Oklahoma bill, to create new territory out of thu western half of the h. dian territory and the unorganized territory called Cimarron, or No Mans Land, north of the Pan Handle of Texas. Mir. Springer favors having a commission appointed by the president to negotiate with the Indians now occupying part of this land, and he thlnkS that when the lana comes to pc sOld by the United States to actual settlers at $l&5 an acre, the money might be put into fund for the maintenance of the Indians.
 The moment that the Oklahoma bill is passed and the time arrives when settlement is permitted the territory will be invaded by an army of settlers, and peopled as if by magic. It will be the quickest materializa. tion of state that was ever witnessed in historic times Close down to the imaginary line separating this unclaimed land from Kansas are built railroads, villages and cities, and the people are ready to move down en masse the moment they have the permission of congress and people of the country. There will be a population of SOC, ,00O in two months is what those say who have been on the ground.
 Iniicted hx the Grand Iuru